Daily Devotions
Rahab, the Prostitute
Reading for March 11th: Joshua 1-4
And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there.
Joshua 2:1
Most prostitutes have low self-esteem. Rahab was likely no different. She probably had a very low view of herself. I wonder what was her life like before the spies came to her house? Was she an orphan? Was she brought up in this trade by her master who owned her? Was she abandoned by her husband or family? Was she forced into this life by some other harsh economic circumstance?
Understand, I'm not making excuses for her sin. There is no excuse for how she lived and supported herself. But most prostitutes have a sad and painful story to tell. It's not exactly the kind of profession any young girl aspires to attain.
We don't know what her life was like before the spies came to her door, but, because of her faith in God we know that she became one of the most famous women in the Bible. While she is ever remembered in the Bible as "Rahab, the prostitute," she is always remembered as a great woman. She's in the "Hall of Fame of Faith" in Hebrews 11, and she's listed right beside Abraham as an example of obedient faith in James 2.
More than that, she is listed in Matthew 1 in the genealogy of Christ Jesus! Imagine that! A prostitute in the family line of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Indeed, this is more than just a prostitute. This is a noble woman of faith. It's amazing what God can take off of the junk heap and use for such great purposes!
Father, thank you for using this prostitute in a way she would have never dreamed possible. Help us all to see that faith in you gives us the ability to rise above our past to a glorious future!
